NSW Coalition moves to allow MPs free vote on Indigenous voice to parliament

NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman says he still has concerns about the wording of the voice to parliament as his shadow cabinet moved to allow MPs a free vote.

NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman address the lower house during the first question time of the parliamentary year. Picture: Tim Hunter.

NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman says he still has concerns about the wording of the voice to parliament as his shadow cabinet moved to allow MPs to campaign for either the Yes or No vote.

The decision came out of the first meeting of the newly formed Coalition shadow cabinet. Mr Speakman said the NSW Coalition would not follow the federal Liberals, instead allowing MPs to have a conscience vote.

He said he would personally wait until a federal parliamentary committee issued a final report, expected to be next week, before deciding whether to support the constitutional amendment.

“I’m sympathetic to the concept. However, there are drafting issues that are being sorted out by a parliamentary committee,” he said. “I’d like to see how that transpires. I want to be satisfied that if there would be a constitutionally entrenched voice, it’s sufficiently practical and flexible and meets the needs of Indigenous communities.”

Nationals leader Dugald Saunders said he was still “formulating his position” on the voice: “Until I’ve met with everyone that I think it’s important to meet with, I think it would be a little bit disingenuous for me just to take a position.”

The Australian understands all MPs present at the Liberal partyroom were supportive of the decision to allow a free vote.

Under former premier Dominic Perrottet, the Coalition supported the voice in principle, and internally toyed with the idea of establishing a state-based body, similar to one in South Australia. NSW Labor Premier Chris Minns said the Liberal Party’s decision to allow MPs a free vote was disappointing. “It’s important for the country that the referendum passes. And obviously we would have loved to have bipartisan support in NSW,” he said.

The NSW Coalition’s decision was in contrast to its federal counterparts, with the Liberals and Nationals deciding to oppose the referendum. A move by Peter Dutton to bind frontbenchers to that position led to Indigenous Australians spokesman Julian Leeser quitting the frontbench.

An early supporter of a voice, Mr Leeser said the Liberal Party’s proposal for symbolic Indigenous recognition in the Constitution did not go “far enough”.